Press



Jan. 4, 1944.

E. J. PAQUE} PRESS Filed April 4, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. d9

BY ETTORNEYS 4, 1944- E. J. PAQUE 2,338,352

PRESS Filed April 4, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Y Patented Jan. 4, 1944 PRESS Edward J. Paque, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 4, 1941, Serial No. 386,930

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in power presses of the type utilized, for example, for

blanking, punching, shearing, bending, trimming,

drawing, forming, forging, extruding, and coining metal. The invention is particularly concerned with the improvement of the transmission mechanism utilized for reciprocating the die mechanism of the press.

It has been the object of the present inventor to provide an improved mechanism for converting the rotary motion delivered to the press to the necessary lineal or reciprocating motion applied to the slide carrying the die. Obviously, it is preferable to provide a mechanism in which the number of connections or movingparts employed is reduced. In this particular phase of the matter, it has been an object to eliminate the necessity for a wrist pin or pivotal type of connection to the slide. In other words. the present invention makes it possible to utilize a connecting rod having a rigid connection to the slide due to the provision of a reciprocating motion, which as applied to the operated end of the connecting rod, is confined to a straight line parallel with the die movement.

It has been a further object of they present inventor to provide a greatly improved driving mechanism for reciprocating the die slide in which a planetary type of gear drive is employed,

utilizing spaced units operating the connecting vary the stroke or travel of the die the most min-' ute amount, and to make it possible for the operator to adjust the throw by the simple operation or manipulation of an adjustment knob. In 1 this connection, it has been the object of the inventor to incorporate the adjustment in an improved arrangement of a planetary gear system.

It will, of course, be apparent that the driving mechanism herein disclosed is adaptable for use in any environment/where it is desired to apply adjustable reeiprocatory or reciprocatory motion only to a machine element.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the descriptionof the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of a press embodying the transmission of the present invention with certain parts shown in section to illustrate the details of the two planetary gear movements utilized.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 illustrating the stroke adjustment mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the transmission shown in Figure 1 illustrating the method of linking the two planetary gear movements together.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a transmission utilizing eight planetary movements illustrating the method of linking them to a common drive shaft.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the planetary gear movement in the position for the greatest stroke of the press.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view taken similarly to Figure 6 in which the vertical stroke has been decreased.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view taken similarly to Figures 6 and 7 showing the planetary gear movement in position for the shortest stroke of the press.

Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the movement imparted to the die press when the planetary movement is in position for the shortest stroke.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the frame of a press embodying the present invention is indicated, generally, at it. The frame I!) includes columns Ilia upon which are mounted the usual vertical guides I l-l I for the upper diecarrying slide I 2, and a bed I3 for supporting the lower die or platen I 4. The press, in this instance, may be driven by a belt (not shown) andis provided with an idler pulley 15 (shown fragmentarily only) anda drive pulley l6, keyed to a shaft I! on which a fly wheel I8 is journalled.

The shaft l1 extends across the back of the machine, being suitably journalled on the frame Ill. and carries a pinion gear -(not shown) which meshes with a main gear I 9.

The transmission of the present invention is The casing is made in two sections or halves tively.

which are bolted together on a diametric line (Figure 2) to facilitate assembly. The transmission includes one or two planetary gear movements, indicated generally at 2| and 22, respec- These movements are mounted in the respective ends of the casing and drive a common crank shaft disposed between the movements. The planetary gear movements are adapted to impart straight line movement to the connecting rod, as will be described later in the specification.

The planetary gear movements are driven from a drive shaft 26 on which the main gear I! is loosely journalled. A clutch, indicated generally at 21, is provided for engaging the drive shaft 28 with the main gear IS.

The clutch is one of the type which is adapted to engage and disengage the drive to the transmission at the same point in the cycle of operation of the transmission. Thus, when the clutch is tripped, the slide I2 is driven down and up and stopped when it reaches the return position. This type of clutch and-its tripper mechanism (not shown) are well-known to those skilled in the art and, therefore, are not shown in detail. The outer end of the drive shaft 26 is journalled in a bearing 28 on the end of an arm 29 bolted to the frame of the machine.

As stated, the driving mechanism for the slide 12, carrying the upper die, is located within the casing 20. The connecting rod 24 extends upwardly into the casing 20 through a slot 30 in the bottom of the casing. The upper end of the rod is traversed by the crank or throw 3| of the crank shaft 32. A bearing sleeve 33 journals the crank in the upper end of the connecting rod. The crank shaft includes coaxial and oppositely extended driven portions 34 extended into and journalled in the respective driving discs 35-35 of a pair of planetary gear units utilized in the preferred species (Figures 1 and 4). Since these units are duplicates, a description of one will be.

sufficient.

A gear 36 is journalled on the axis of the drive shaft 26 as a part thereof. This gear includes a hub 38 Journalled in a sleeve or bushing 39 in the end wall of the casing 20. This gear is used in order to convey the drive across the back of the casing to another gear 36 of the other unit. The gear of the other unit also includes a hub portion journalled in a bushing 39 in the opposite end wall of the casing. A shaft 40 is used to connect the gears 36-36. This shaft carries pinions 4| fixed to its respective ends and meshing with respective gears 36-36.

Each gear has a splined connection to the driving disc 35 supporting a respective end of and actuating the crank' shaft. The connection consists of a lug 42 projecting from the gear toward the driving disc and disposed between bifurcations or spaced lugs 43-43 projecting from the driving disc toward the. gear. in order to avoid the planetary gear 44, is disposed eccentrically relative to the axis of rotation of the gear and the driving disc.

A stationary, but adjustable internal gear 45 is disposed between the driving disc and the gear element. This internal gear fits snugly within the bore of the housing and provides internal teeth in mesh with the teeth of the planetary gear 44. The planetary gear 44 is non-rotatably fixed to the journalled end portion of the crank shaft 32. For purposes of assembly, the gear includes a stud 41 projecting into the bore of the crank shaft and keyed thereto by means of a key 48.

This connection,

Bearing sleeves 49-50 are provided for the drlving disc and the crank shaft, respectively. As

will be described, the crank or throw 3| of the crank shaft; that is, the intermediate portion thereof, reciprocates in a straight line when the driving shaft and therefore, the driving disc, are rotated.

The internal gear includes external worm teeth 5!, and a worm 53 meshes with these teeth. The worm is fixed to an adjustment shaft 54 traversing the machine and the casing 20 and journalled therein Within a chamber 55 at the bottom of the casing 20.

A gear 56 is fixed to the outer end of the shaft 54 and the gears of the respective units are simultaneously adjusted by means of a. gear 51 meshing with both of the gears 53 and carrying an adjustment knob 58.

As stated, the internal gear is secured against rotation by virtue of the connection of the worm thereto. It is located concentrically relative to the main drive shaft 26; that is to say, the pitch circle of the internal teeth is described on a center coinciding with the center of the shaft 26. The center of the journalled portion of the crank shaft is disposed on a radius of exactly one-half the radius of the pitch circle of the internal gear (Figure 6). The planetary gear, being concentrically mounted on this crank shaft portion and disposed in mesh with the stationary internal or 'sun gear, necessarily has a pitch circle of exactly one-half the diameter of the pitch circle of the internal gear. That is to say, the pitch diameter of the planetary gear is equal to the radius of the pitch circle of the internal gear. When the drive shaft is rotated, the driving disc carries the planetary gear in an orbit within the internal gear, and since the two gears are in mesh, results in a rolling circular or epicycloidal motion of the planetary gear.

In describing its orbit (Figure 6) the planetary gear rotates within the driving disc in a direction opposite to that of its bodily orbital motion and makes one-half of a revolution to one-half of the orbital circle. Thus, the crank portion 3|, which is located on the pitch circle of the planetary gear, is actuated by the resultant of the combined rolling and orbital motions of the gear and travels in a straight line across the diameter of the internal gear. Therefore, the crank pin completes a stroke in one direction to a half revolution of the drive shaft 26, and the return stroke on the second half revolution, thus making one complete reciprocation or a forward and return stroke to each revolution of the drive shaft. This consequently results in a pressing or punching cycle; that is, lowers the upper die to perform the pressing operation and returns the die to its upper position in a single cycle of revolution as controlled by the clutch 21.

From the preceding description it may be seen thatthe straight line in which the crank moves is in relation to the position of the internal gear defining the orbit of the planetary gear. When the internal gear ring 45 is revolved by manipf full stroke. As the internal gear ring is revolved, the vertical stroke of the slide is decreased until finally, when the pin is reciprocating horizontally, the slide is moved only slightly due to the swing of the connecting rod from center (Figure 9). When the press includes this provision for adjustment, it obviously will require a pivoted connection of the connecting rod to the slide because of the lateral swing of the upper end of the rod.

In Figure 5, a transmission is shown diagrammatically which incorporates four pairs of the movements embodying the present invention. The figure is included to show the manner in which a gang of the movements can be linked together for extremely heavy press work. Four pinion gears, indicated at 60 are keyed to a common drive shaft 6|. Each one of the gears 60 drives two movements, meshing with the gears 36 of these movements. With this arrangement, four crank shafts may be driven reciprocally. These may be yoked to a common connecting rod (not shown).

All of the movements are provided with the worm gear arrangement for adjustably rotating the internal gear ring 45 of each movement. These are linked together as shown in Figure 5. Four shafts 62 are utilized, one for each pair of movements.

At the forward end of each shaft 62, a gear 63 is pinned. Between adjacent gears 63, idler gears 64 are provided, meshing with the. adjacent gears. The middle idler is provided with a hand knob 65. Thus, it is shown that a plurality of these planetary units may be employed for reciprocating a die and may be related to each other and to the connecting rod for providing a compact, sturdy, and efllcient driving mechanism.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Reciprocating mechanism, comprising, a part to be reciprocated, a crankshaftincluding an intermediate crankportion connected to said part to be reciprocated, driving discs, one at each side of. said crank portion for supporting and revolving the ends of said crankshaft about the axes of the discs, the ends of said crankshaft being eccentrically disposed in said discs, planetary gears fixed on the respective ends of said crankshaft, a rotatably adjustably mounted internal gear for each planetary gear, adjustment means for rotatably adjusting said internal gears for adjustably rotating said crankshaft in said driving discs and changing the position of the crank portion relative thereto, and means for driving said discs.

2. Reciprocating mechanism, comprising, a part to be reciprocated, a crankshaft including an intermediate crank portion connected to said part to be reciprocated, driving discs eccentrically mounting and supporting the shaft portions of said crankshaft, means for driving said discs for rotating said crankshaft bodily in an orbit about the axes of the discs, planetary gears fixed on the respective ends of said crankshaft, internal gears meshing with said planetary gears, said internal gears being rotatably mounted for adjustmefit and including external worm teeth, worms in mesh with said teeth, and a. common means for rotating said worms and thereby adjusting the positions of said internal gears for rotating said crankshaft within the driving discs and changing the angular position of the crank portion relative thereto, thereby varying the throw of the mechanism.

EDWARD J. PAQUE. 

